Handheld electronic devices, such as calculators, telephones, personal digital assistants, handheld computers, handheld gaming devices, and similar devices, often contain a liquid crystal display or similar means for the display of graphical information. Such a display often contains a cursor or other indicator to indicate where an action is occurring or can occur within the display. For example, the display of a calculator might contain a cursor to indicate a location where data can be entered. The display of a gaming device might contain a character whose movement can be controlled by a game player or might contain a pointer to indicate a position where the game player can cause an action to occur in the display. A spreadsheet application executing on a handheld computer might contain an active cell into which data can be entered. Any such indicator will be referred to herein as a cursor.
Several means currently exist for controlling the movement of a cursor. For example, the keyboard of a device may contain arrow keys that can cause up, down, left, and right movement of a cursor. A device might also contain a joystick or similar mechanism to provide a greater range of cursor control. A mouse or similar pointing tool may also be present on a device. One of skill in the art will be familiar with other means for controlling the movement of a cursor.